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Monday, July 4, 2011

NY - Farmers Market, Astoria Blade-park, and Home-Made Pasta.

Up early, Robyn and I went to the Farmer's market. The building behind me is called the Flat Iron. Three corners on the roof, not four. It marks the district that I visited.

On our way we passed Madison square park.

The farmer's market was in Union square and it showcased East Coast ingredients.

Have you ever put your hand into a bucket of grains? It's kind of weird feeling.

Here's my best friend, Robyn, showing the fuzzy bush thing.

They even sold whole wool sheepskins. I have no idea what these are used for, but, I'm very curious as to who actually purchases these and takes them home. New carpet? maybe...?

We bought groceries for the week.

On our way back we passed by the museum of Sex.

I didn't go in but, I think I knew enough from what was displayed outside.

Hungover from our previous night at Ma Peche and consuming two wine bottles, I was looking for a breakfast burrito to absorb the alcohol that remained in my stomach. Instead, I found a blessing in disguise. Thinly sliced white onion, Lamb, tzatziki, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, wrapped in pita bought off a street truck.

On our way to do more tourist things, I received a random text from another Californian, Lonnie Gallegos, who said he was checking out a competition that was going down in Queens. I had to check it out.

Lonnie is normally a filmer and has made some amazing videos. But, the past few days have been different. He has been stacking clips and had one of the best 540's I have seen in years. We invited Lonnie over for dinner. Lonnie was just as stoked as I was when we hung out at Robyn's new place with an amazing Cloud Lounge.

Right next to the Empire State Building.

As we took photos, Robyn brought out some Cheese. Goat Cheese on the left and Burrata Cheese on the right with some sesame crackers.

This was a nice appetizer as Robyn rolled out fresh pasta from her pasta machine. On Robyn's 13th birthday she asked for a pasta machine. On my 13th birthday I was asking for a pair of Rollerblade Troopers.

Tomato sauce with fresh pasta, toasted pine-nuts, grated parmesan, and some basil that was grown on her window sill, and a Brooklyn Brewery Summer-Ale to wash it down.

Robyn's In-Apartment Pasta and Tomato Sauce

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients Amounts

For the Pasta

Flour 2 cups

Salt to taste

Eggs 3 eggs

For the Tomato Sauce

Garlic cloves, sliced 10 ea.

White Wine 1/4 Cup

Tomatoes, rough chopped, destemmed 5 Ea.

Sundried Tomatoes 1/2 cup

Basil, thinly torn, ripped 5 ea.

Pine Nuts 1/8 Cup

Parmesan Cheese tt

Method

For the Pasta

1. On a wide surface make a small well with the flour, add a dash of salt, and drop eggs in the middle of your flour fortress. With a fork begin whisking the eggs incorporating parts of the flour into the yolk mixture until everything has been well combined. Add more flour if dough is sticky.

2. On a well floured surface, begin kneading the dough with both hands pushing down on the dough. The pasta ball should be smooth textured and firm. After making a ball, tightly wrap it in plastic and allow the gluten to rest for an hour at room temperature. (Refrigeration is allowed also if sitting for more than one hour)

3. Take 1/3rd of dough and Follow instructions for Pasta Machine use and begin rolling dough on largest setting. After feeding dough through the machine, fold in half, and feed through the machine once more. After rolling through the same setting thrice or until smooth, change pasta machine to a thinner setting and roll again without folding. Take the sheets and cut with a knife or pasta cutter every 2 inches making rectangle pasta strips. Flour and set-aside while waiting for Salted water to boil.

4. Drop pasta into rolling boiled water and once pasta begins to float pull out and serve with tomato sauce.

For the Tomato Sauce

5. Heat a small pot on medium heat and coat with olive oil. Drop Garlic and cook till translucent and add wine to reduce by 1/3. Add Tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to marry. Once pasta has been cooked add basil and parmesan cheese.

6. In a cold separate small saute pan place over burner and begin to toast the pine nuts on high heat, shaking vigorously for a few minutes till nuts are lightly browned.